For the same reason Willy Sutton robbed banks, because that is where the money is. Simply put, SJN Sales makes more money for SJN clients and, of course, for our company, during fourth quarter than at any other time of year.

Some of this is explained by the fact that unlike many sales teams, SJN teams actually work a full sales campaign plan during the busy fall meeting and holiday seasons. This means that we can take advantage of the additional bandwidth, and focused listening, available because many prospects are simply hearing about fewer solutions and opportunities during what most sales organizations consider a weak season. Holidaze, we call it. The sad expression on the faces of salespeople who have not unlocked the secret to maximizing fall and fourth quarter potential to close deals.

The SJN database is filled with interesting tidbits we have learned about our prospects over the years. One of the most important codes is, YESD. Year end spend down. YESD means this prospect has, in past years, bought solutions through SJN Sales as part of a year-end spending spree.

We keep very careful track of companies that do an annual year end spend down. We also take notes whenever someone cues us that they may be a year-end spending company. In those cases, the prospect says something like, “I’ll have to see how the budget looks later in the year.” And we do. We check in and find out whether that July caution is now ripe for a November launch of our client solution. Sounds simple. And it is a simple strategy as long as you listen well, take excellent notes. And, this is the final trick, follow through and make the volume and quality of sales conversations and meeting happen, in the fourth quarter, to harvest all those great YESD accounts we have tracked so carefully.

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About Deb Taylor @ SJN Sales

SJN Sales presents complex intangibles to specific US markets and closes sales. SJN Sales also provides training for professional services providers, from software to health care, who have learned that 'selling yourself' is harder than it sounds.